Euro car parks PCN during COVID-19 Lockdown

Coupon-mad

And do this in the next few days as well, if you want to make a difference and stop this sort of thing in future:

PLEASE CHANNEL YOUR ANGER ABOUT THIS PATHETIC CHARGE TO CHANGE THE WAY THE PARKING INDUSTRY WORK:

CALLING ALL NEWBIES! 

 

An urgent task – deadline approaching in a week or so:

Please now make a real difference because not enough people have yet, and time is running out. 

The Government is consulting for just a few more days, about a new statutory code of practice (CoP) and framework intended to rein in the rogue parking firms. 

Does it go far enough?  Read and comment on the draft CoP proposal and the enforcement framework consultation (two separate consultation documents).

HOW TO DO THE SUBMISSIONS:

BSI PAS 232 – COMMENTING ON THE CODE OF PRACTICE AS DRAFTED:

1.    You will need to register then log in, to comment on the CoP and enter an occupation even if you are retired or a homemaker.  

 

2.    Register, log into the BSI page, and download & read the cover letter here:

https://standardsdevelopment.bsigroup.com/projects/2020-00193#/section

 

3.    Read the cover letter again and note the suggested extra questions... if you agree that, say, the 'loading/unloading and dropping off, asking for directions, and disabled people parking on double yellows as they can on street' activities listed should be exempt (not parking events, what do you think?) then please go to the Annexes at the end of the PAS Code and find the one about Exempt Vehicles and state what other activity you think should be added to the exempt list. 

 

4.    Download the PAS itself and start commenting on what you wish to say something about.  Quick links to each section appear on the left of your page. 

 

You don’t have to comment on everything, e.g. you might want to skip the definitions and focus on later sections, and certainly look at the Annex tables at the end that show things like consideration & grace periods and exemptions.

 

5.    Submit comments when you are happy with them. Don’t just ‘SAVE’ and forget!

 

THAT IS HALF THE JOB DONE!

THE MHCLG CONSULTATION IS EASIER AS IT IS JUST A LIST OF QUESTIONS. 

 

6.    You can do it first if preferred or pushed for time:

https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=EGg0v32c3kOociSi7zmVqAVPfAOtwRxLhHRwQ610oElUMzhQSVo0WUQ4SERVSEZaUU9DTUhFQ1VMUy4u

If your answers exceed 4000 characters (approx. 500 words to a single question or 16000 words (approx. 2500 words) for all the questions below, you can email your answers to parking@communities.gov.uk as long as you state who you are.

THESE ARE THE QUESTIONS YOU WILL SEE, FOR RESPONSES TO THE FRAMEWORK:

Q1 Do you agree or disagree that members of APAs should be required to use a single appeals service appointed by the Secretary of State? 

Strongly agree/Somewhat agree/Neither agree nor disagree/Somewhat disagree/Strongly disagree 

Q1.1 Please explain your answer 

(free text)

Q2 Please provide any other feedback on the determination of appeals, including the funding model and features that an appeal service should offer e.g. telephone or in-person hearings, the ability to submit evidence online 

(free text)

Q3 Please provide any comments you have on the proposal to enforce the Code by combining the ATA’s existing audit procedures with additional safeguards. 

(free text)

Q4 Please outline any alternative means by which the Code could be monitored and enforced. You may wish to cite evidence from other regulatory frameworks which are relevant. 

(free text)

Q5 Please provide any feedback you have on the proposed governance arrangements for monitoring the new Code of Practice 

(free text)

Q6 Which parking charge system is most appropriate for private parking?

 a) the Three-tiered system

 b) Mirroring the Local Authority system

(free text)

 Q6.1 Please explain your answer. You may, for example, wish to make reference to other deterrent frameworks (for example, for railway tickets or traffic violations) 

(free text)

Q7 What level of discount is appropriate: 

40% as is currently offered in private parking and suggested in the three-tiered system, or 

50% as is offered in Local Authority parking? 

a) 40% 

b) 50% 

Q7.1 Please explain your answer, including whether the discount should be set at a different level 

(free text)

 Q8 How should the level of parking charges be set and how should the levels be revised in future? 

(free text)

Q9 Do you agree or disagree in principle with the idea of the Appeals Charter? 

Agree/Disagree 

Q9.1 Please explain your answer 

(free text)

Q10 Do you agree or not that the examples given in the Appeals Charter are fair and appropriate? Agree/Disagree 

Q10.1 Please explain your answer. 

You may wish, for example, to suggest additional cases to be covered in an Appeals Charter or query existing examples. 

(free text)

Q11 Do you agree or disagree that the parking industry should contribute towards the cost of the regulation? 

Agree/Disagree 

Q11.1 Please explain your answer.

(free text)

YOU CAN INSTEAD GIVE MORE CONCISE ANSWERS ONLINE, USING THE MHCLG PAGE LINK.

Don’t forget that answering these questions is the easier bit…

Looking at the BSI PAS (the draft code of practice itself) involves logging in and submitting comments again, and again and again and takes more time!

There is a discussion about PAS submissions and what the pages look like, here:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6195417/am-i-doing-something-wrong/p1

DimDi

Update:
I send the letter to M&S Sunday 04.10  and no answer came so far. As today is my 31st day for the POPLA appeal code is there anything else I have to change in the draft or it looks fine?
Thanks in advance.

Le_Kirk

Just make sure you embed the links as photos or text; POPLA assessors won't follow links.  Don't give them any excuse not to read ALL of your appeal.

DimDi

Le_Kirk said:

Just make sure you embed the links as photos or text; POPLA assessors won't follow links.  Don't give them any excuse not to read ALL of your appeal.

Oh, I’ll do that👍🏻

Thanks, Le Kirk😊

1505grandad

Also check that you are quoting from the correct BPA CoP (V8) as some of the paras quoted will not be correct if the assessor looks at the relevant CoP.

I do not think it is a good idea to instruct the assessor to refer to a thread in this forum:-

"In addition, this case is also more similar to the signage in POPLA decision 2413527021 in February 2018 linked below:


And do not point out what the operator has got right:-

"The BPA Code of Practice (Appendix B sets the requirements for entrance
signs. Following further research (on foot, during daylight), it is not disputed that
Euro Car Parks entrance sign meets these requirements in terms of wording/layout – in fact it is almost a direct copy of the example the BPA provide.

What is disputed are other requirements the BPA sets in Appendix B, specifically:"

beamerguy

DimDi said:

Update:
I send the letter to M&S Sunday 04.10  and no answer came so far. As today is my 31st day for the POPLA appeal code is there anything else I have to change in the draft or it looks fine?
Thanks in advance.

INDEED ....  Your letters are not being seen by the CEO because the executive office grab them first.
I wonder if the CEO understands that such poor customer service and ignorance is one of the reasons he is now forced to close branches and lay off staff ?

We will try one further letter.  In the meantime follow carefully what others are saying regarding POPLA

DimDi

1505grandad said:

Also check that you are quoting from the correct BPA CoP (V8) as some of the paras quoted will not be correct if the assessor looks at the relevant CoP.

I do not think it is a good idea to instruct the assessor to refer to a thread in this forum:-

"In addition, this case is also more similar to the signage in POPLA decision 2413527021 in February 2018 linked below:


And do not point out what the operator has got right:-

"The BPA Code of Practice (Appendix B sets the requirements for entrance
signs. Following further research (on foot, during daylight), it is not disputed that
Euro Car Parks entrance sign meets these requirements in terms of wording/layout – in fact it is almost a direct copy of the example the BPA provide.

What is disputed are other requirements the BPA sets in Appendix B, specifically:"

Noted!I’ll change it and remove the links to the forum.Thanks.

DimDi

Hi guys,
have an update:

Thank you for submitting your parking charge appeal to POPLA

An appeal has been opened with the reference 2412520098.

 Euro Car Parks - EW have told us they do not wish to contest the appeal. This means that your appeal is successful and you do not need to pay the parking charge.

 Yours sincerely

POPLA Team  

....and in the same time got a reply from M&S executive office again but with different outcome:

Good afternoon , 

 Thank you for taking the time to contact Steve Rowe. I realise you will be disappointed that this reply is not from Steve himself, however Steve receives a high volume of contact and so as a member of the Executive team, I am replying on his behalf.  Whilst Steve cannot respond to every letter and email, please be assured he does read them and he really appreciates you getting in touch. 

 A decision to issue a Parking Charge Notice does lie with the company who has issued it. As I have explained, this car park is owned and operated by Euro Car Parks and an appeal must go to them directly. 

 However, I have contacted Euro Car Parks and you will be pleased to hear that the Parking Charge Notice has been cancelled on this occasion

 I must let you know, that if you were to receive another notice for the same reason in the future, we would not be able to intervene. 

Thank you again for contacting Steve. 

Best regards

Lauren Harvey
Executive Team
Your M&S Customer Service

Personally I think that the letters to the CEO do the job.

Many thanks to beamerguy and all of you who helped me with this🤗

Redx

Well done on both counts

I definitely do not believe their assertion that ECP own the car park , but I do believe that ECP are the contractor

Just goes to show that both options are valid options , but plan A is always best

D_P_Dance

I definitely do not believe their assertion that ECP own the car park ,

Neither do I